Oldest fossil evidence of modern African venomous snakes found in Tanzania
Thursday, March 20, 2014 - 12:30
in Paleontology & Archaeology
Scientists have found the oldest definitive fossil evidence of modern, venomous snakes in Africa. The newly discovered fossils demonstrate that elapid snakes -- such as cobras, kraits and sea snakes -- were present in Africa as early as 25 million years ago. Elapids belong to a larger group of snakes known as colubroids, active foragers that use a variety of methods, including venom, to capture and kill prey.